Flexible footwear



Jan. 12, 1937,A C, CASANOVA 2,067,845

FLEXIBLE FOOTWEAR Filed sept. 21', 1936 2 sheets-sheet 1 mi//a @Sarina/aj,

2 Sheets-Sheet Z Jan. 12, 1937'.

' c. As'ANovA FLEXIBLE FooTwEAn Filed Sept. 2l, 1936 Patented Jan. 1 2, 1937' UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE f Y amm I mmm Camillo Calwva, Zurich, Switlel'lm Application september 21, 193s. serial No. 101,850

t In Germany November 17, 1934 13 Claims. (Cl. 12-142) wards the edge of the last, by means of a special device. Hereupon the sole edge treated with adhesive is secured in position. The outer sole is attached to the upper by means oi. a double seam. t f According to this method only sandals and light summer shoes are produced, which are in favour due to their flexibility, which can only l5 be lachieved by the special method of pulling over. In this type of footwear it can be ascertained that the foot treading in them causes all bending movements to be transmitted to theA double seam, which in any case is imperfect ow- -ing to the upper being pulled over outwardly and forms the only connection between the two parts. After a short period ofswear the double seam begins to wear through, so that the -outer sole becomes detached from the upper. Since the outwardly pulled over upper does not permit any further connection, e. g. by adhesive, between it and the outer sole, the defects of this type of footwear cannot be eliminated.

The present invention has reference to a method of producing flexible footwear, which does not suifer from the defects of the known types, is durable and retains its exibility and is also applicable to footwear which so far could not be produced in accordance with the aforesaid flexible pull over method.

of theupper in such amanner that the binding string engages the tongues themselves and pushes same together in a creaseless-manner owing to the gaps therebetween, whereupon the-outer sole may be secured to the rim strip, which hereinafter will be referred to as wel The invention is Aillustrated by way of example ,in the accompanying drawings, wherein:- 1 Fig. 1 Vis a perspective view of the bottomof a shoe made according to the invention, without o the outer sole.

shoe.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the Figs. 3 and 4 are plan views f two diiierent parts of akwclt of single type.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a double welt before it is folded. Y

Fig. 6 is a. sectional view of the double welt 5 showing the folding, with binding string in the double tongue fold. k

Fig. 'I is a plan view of a serrated double4 welt, and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of same with the up- 10 per sewn between the folds of said double welt.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of part of a serrated and apertured welt made of two different materials, while Fig. 10 is a sectional view on the line lil- I0 15 of Fig. 9 but showing an upper attached to the Fig. 11 is a plan view of a welt withan outer bead and binding string, f o Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken on the line 20 |2|2 of Fig. 11 part of the upper, the insole and the outer solelbeing-als'o shown.

Figs. 13 to 15 are perspective views partly in section oi further forms of weltsmade of rubber with reinforcements, Y 25 Fig. 16 is an elevational view of the welt shown in Fig. 15 but provided with a slightly different form of upper-attaching ilange.

Fig. 17 is a sectional view on the line |1-I1 0f mg. 16. l 30 Fig. 18 is a perspective view partly in section of a welt similar to that shown in Fig. 15, and 'diilering from the latter only in the shape of vits upstanding outer edge.

The welt 2|, made oi' a straight `sgg-lp of ma- 35 These tongues 2l may be formed as equal 4.5

(Fig. 3) or unequal sided (Fig. 4) trapeziums, the hol being preferably disposed near the free ends of the tongues.A In the case of unequal sided trapezium shaped tongues one side thereof is normal to the edge of the welt. However, the 50 tongues may be of any other shape. A binding string 2B, is pulled through the holes in the tongues the ends of the string being vconnected together in known manner, whereupon, as indi-` cated in Fig'. 1 -two opposite loops, to `be' con- 55 nected also in known manner, are formed for tighteningthestringafiertheuppersopre- -paredhasbeenpulledoverthelastsothatthe welt together with re upper assumes the shape of the last.

For the, of producing footwear for special purposes, such as summer shoes, week end shoes, and so forth, a double welt as shown inFigs to Smaybemade of onepiece of material. A. suiiiciently wide strip of'material 29 is provided with v -r u shaped aperturesA (which may be square or rhombic if the tongues are of equal'sided trapezium shape) 'and pairs of holes 3l disposed symmetrically with duced between the edges of this folded welt' -andisseclnedbymeansofastitchedseamZL The welts 2l and 2! may be made of leather or other suitable material, according to the purposeforwhichtheshoeistobeused. The free space between the insole 21 and the outer sole may he filled out with 2l (Fig. 2) provided a. known profiled insole is not employed.

Theweltmayalsohemade of astrip of leather 32, which is shouldered at its inner edge on both sides mg. 1li). A strip 33 is bent in U shape and madeof a material which is untearable when used for the purpose in view, such -as rubberized texle material or the like, pasted or sewnorpastedandsewnonthiswelt, in such a manner that inside the fold a hollow space 3* is left. Thereupon the tongues' 24 and the holes 3i are punched and the binding string ZEisinserted. Thetonguesmaybeofashapeother than shown. A

The welt may also be made of a tubular piece (Figs. l1 and. 12) of round woven, practically nntearable maieriai, which is pressed flat by means of pr rollers or the like, whereupon the tongues and the holes 3| are punched in any desired shape. At the outer non-apertured edge a string Si-is insert/ed to form. a bead which is applied to the upwardly extending upper 20.

Aireespaceisleftattheaperturededge andy a binding string Iis introduced thereinto, whereupon the superimposed parts of the shoe `are cemented or otimwise connected together 'at 31. After the outersole 25 hasbeen xed in position thebeadformedbythestring 36 lies againsttheupperfaeeoftheupperm, and protecis the shoe external influences andlendstoitapleasingappearance.`

Withtheformsofweltshownmgsiitom thesmeremltisaswiththe form shown in Figs. 5 to 8, in which the binding' string 26 is located in the fold of a doubled welt.

The hols in the tongu have' a particular "nmcuonwnmnnemphasizedmthe cased-thedouhiewelttoli'igsto twe1istoFigs.9to l2. Whentheoutersoleiscemented'by means of oneof the knownshoc cementing substances on to theiinished welt, the holes in theueportlytllledwhere the binding string is pulled through the holes themselves,

Y-'orwholiywherethestrlngislocated'in the foldof the double welt andi such cementing material in the hols acts, after the cementing materlalhas as elastic rivets; which 'aord in all cases'a very durable connection between the welt andthe outer sole. However, the rivets formed by the cementing material penetrating into the holes also ensures inthe case of shoes made with insoles thatthe latter is firmly connected to the outer sole.

- These apertured tongues not only take up the pull of the vbinding string 2G in a uniform manner and transfer it point by point to the upper sewn thereto, but they also ensure perfeet-fit all over, but particularly' at the toe and heel curves, since the gaps in the welt between the individual .tongues enable same to be pushed together from base to tip (as indicated in Fig. 1) without overlapping, folding, or creasing of the welt material.

The fln'ther function of the apertured tongues resides in assuring very great flexibility in the whole of/'the-sole portion.y The tongue incisions, which start in the vicinity of the seam 2,2 conproduced by cutting out parts of the welt act as so many interruptions, not only transversely from side to side but also in the longitudinal direction fromv toe to heel.

An elastic material, such as rubber, may also be used for making the welt, by employing a reinforcing insertion 38 upon which the rubber is moulded in known manner, means being provided for the insertion of a binding string 26 into the fold of the insert 38 after the tongues have been punched out. y

The welt l2 may be provided with a bead 35| (Fig. 13) on the non-apertured side, said bead serving the same purpose as the bead 36 in Figs. 11 and 12. The upper, not shown, is attached `to the lwelt with the aid of a stitched seam.

sole to be attached by means of a double seam.

The embodiment according to Figs. 16 and 17 diers from that according to Fig. 15 only inv the form of the upright edge which, as shown in-Fig. 18 may be of U shaped section. This upright edge I5 enables the` upper to be connected to the welt by sewing, pasting or cementlng. The embodiment of the welt according to Fig. '18 enablesV an easily fraying material to be used for the upper, the structure of which `is not as strong as that of leather. Such materials are fabrics, plaited straw, mixed fabrics of straw -and textile fibres and so forth.

I claim:- `1. A shoe comprising an upper, a welt conf nected to theupper and having its inner edge.

formed with notches providing spaced tongues decreasing in width toward their free ends and extending entirely around the inner edge of the welt, `each of. said tongues having an opening y therethrough, an endless binding string extending through said openings and following the contour of the welt, said endless binding string having portions extending inwardly toward each 1 other at opposite sides of the shoe, and an outsole secured to the welt.

2. A shoe comprising an upper, a welt connected. to the upper and having its inner edge wardly toward each other at opposite sides ofb the shoe, and an outsole secured to the welt.

3. A shoe comprising an upper, a welt connected to the upper and having its inner edge formed with notches providing spaced Atongues decreasing in width toward their free ends, each of said tongues having an aperture therethrough,

and a binding string extending through said aperj tures and along the contour of the shoe, said string passing through adjacent tongues in opposite directions.

4. A shoe comprising an upper, a double weltl connected to the upper and having a folded inner edge formed with notches providing spaced tongues decreasing in width toward their free ends and extending entirely around the inner edge of the welt, an endless binding string extending between the folds ofthe tongues at said einner edge and following the contour of the Welt, said endless binding string having portions .extending linwardly toward each other at opposite sides of the shoe, and an outsole secured to the welt.

5. A shoe comprising an upper, a .double welt connected to the upper and having a folded inner edge formed with notches providing spaced tongues decreasing in width toward their free ends, and a bindingv string extending between the folds of the tongues at said inner edge'.

6. A shoe comprising an upper, a welt connected to the upper and having a double wall inner edge portion formed with notches providing spaced tongues decreasing in width toward their free ends, and a binding string extending between the walls oi' the tongues in said inner 8. A method of making a shoe consistingv of` connecting to an upperv adjacent its lower edge a welt having one edge provided with tongues .curing an outsole to the welt.

decreasing in width toward their free ends and having openings adapted to receive therethrough a binding string, threading 4a binding string through said openings and securing the ends of the string together to make'the string' endless, pulling portions of the endless string, at opposite sides of the shoe, toward each other to last the upper, and securing an outsole to the welt.

9. A method of making a shoe consisting of connecting to an upper adjacent its lower edge a welt having one edge provided with tongues decreasing -in width toward their free ends and `having openings adapted to receive therethrough a binding string, threading a binding d string through said openings, tightening the binding string to last the upper, and securing an outsole to the welt.

l0. A method of makinga shoe consisting of connecting to an upper adjacent its lower edge a welt having one edgeprovided with tongues decreasing in width toward their free ends and Y having aperturesadapted to receive therethrough' a binding string; threading ai binding string through said apertures so that the string passes' through adjacent tongues from opposite directions, tighteninguthe string to lastthe upper,

land securing an outsole to the welt.

11. A method of making a shoe consisting of connecting to an upper adjacentits lower edge a folded welt having one edge provided with tonguesdecreasing in width toward their free ends, threading a binding string between the folds of the tongues in said folded welt, tightening the binding string to last the upper, and securing an outsole to the welt.

12. A method of making a shoe consisting of connectingv to an upper adjacent its lower edge a welt having a double wall edge portion provided with tongues decreasing in width toward their free ends, threading a binding string between the Walls of said tongues, tightening the binding string to lastv the upper, and Asecuring an outsole to the welt.

13. A method of making a shoe consisting of connecting to an upper' adjacent its .lower edge a welt having a bead adjacent one edge and iturther having its vother edge provided .with tongues decreasing in width toward their free ends and having openings adapted to receive therethrough a binding string, threading a binding string through said openings, tightening the binding string to last the upper with said bead engaging vthehouter face of the upper, and secAMrLro cAsANoVA. 

